Likely to Die
by alias5505
Summary: [FINISHED] A deadly game of cat and mouse threatens Abby after Brian attacks, but draws her and Carter closer than ever before. As the relationship grows, Carter must make a decision about his career that could mean the end of their relationship.
1. Attack

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LIKELY TO DIE  
________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Featuring:  
Dr. John Carter  
Abby Lockhart  
Millicent Carter  
Kerry Weaver  
Eleanor Carter  
  
And:  
Brian  
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO THE ER CHARACTERS. THIS STORY IS PURE FICTION  
AND THE CHARACTERS BELONG TO NBC.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Anyway, I will file charges against him." Abby announced defiantly, as she sat in   
the living room of Millicent Carter's expansive home.   
John was seated beside her on the sofa having insisting on bringing her to his house after   
he saw her in the ER. Having just been attacked by her neighbor, her skin was black and blue  
from his incessant pounding on her face.   
"Well, you're staying here tonight, you can't go home." He flat-out ordered.  
"That is nonsense, the police said they were going to keep an eye on my apartment, I assume  
they already arrested Brian." "Assuming isn't good enough."  
"Carter." She said, giving him the cool-it look. "Listen, I don't think your mother would   
like my staying here."  
"Doesn't matter, Gamma said you could, and it's her house."  
"Carter," she pleaded, "I don't want to start a family feud." She almost laughed at the  
thought of Eleanor Carter finding her in the living room of the same house in which she resided.  
"Don't worry about it."  
"Fine. I just need to go back to my apartment to get my things."   
"Can you wait 'till I get back from the ER, Kerry insisted I come back for the staff meeting.  
She's adding a new attending."  
"Another doc, listen just drop me off on your way and I'll take a cab back here."  
"You're not going to that apartment alone."  
"Drop me off or I will take myself via Chicago taxi."  
"Look, don't worry about the cab. Gamma's Jeep is out front, take it, I'll drive the Benz."  
"I don't know."  
"Take it, it's fine."  
"Okay, I'll see you back here at what time?"  
"I should be back no later than ten," he said getting up from the soft leather sofa,  
glancing at his wristwatch, which read eight-thirty.   
"Great."  
  
Abby Lockhart planted herself behind the wheel of the Grand Cherokee Limited, as she surveyed   
the leather interior. It seemed odd that Gamma would drive a Sport-Utility, but she guessed it   
helped in the Chicago winters.  
She put the Jeep into drive as she followed John, driving a Mercedes coupe too fast on the wet  
snow. She sped up to keep up with his fast pace, turning out of the Chicago residential   
community and onto the highway, then the interstate to the streets of downtown.  
Snow was blowing hard as John turned into the hospital and Abby continued past keeping a   
higher rate of speed than she should.  
Luckily there was a vehicle pulling out in front of her building and she eased her way in right  
behind him, putting the SUV into park. She had just removed her safety-belt when the passenger  
door opened and the face she knew to well, pointed a hand-gun at her.   
"Oh, fuck." She sighed.   
He sat down in the seat, pulling on his safety belt, as he ordered her to get away from the  
building.   
"Fast, the police are all over our unit."  
"How the hell did you avoid them?" She asked tersely, as she pulled out of the space. "I filed   
charges."  
"Saw them coming in from the window, headed down to the basement. Lucky you pulled up."  
"Go to hell," she snapped as she continued speeding down the street, hoping to be caught by a  
police officer.   
I have to get out of here, the thought was pressing, and she tried to avoid looking at the  
weapon, that assured her death. She pushed the accelerator harder, now doing sixty-five on the   
wet streets, weaving in and out of traffic to avoid colliding with another vehicle.   
As the traffic light ahead turned yellow, she made a hard right through an intersection   
heading into the uptown residential area. She sped up faster as Brian started talking on a   
cellular phone. When she hit seventy, she put the car on cruise control.   
Saying a silent prayer, she glanced in her side mirror, assuring herself no one was approaching  
beside her, as she glanced at the yellow-light at the approaching intersection. She grabbed   
the door handle, as she released the steering wheel and propelled herself out of the fast  
moving vehicle. 


	2. After the Fact

"Dr. John Carter to the information desk. Dr. John Carter to the information desk." The   
intercom in the hospital blared.   
Thats odd, he thought getting up from the conference table, where Kerry Weaver, Mark Greene  
and another doctor he had not been introduced to sat quietly.  
"Excuse me." He told them.  
"Whats up?" He asked, after walking the short distance to the desk, where a woman sat   
answering phones.  
"The police are on line two."  
"The police!"   
"That's what I said." The woman answered dryly.  
"Dr. Carter?" He said, answering the phone.  
"Dr. Carter, this is detective O'Riley, Chicago P.D. A sport-utility vehicle registered to   
you has been involved in an accident. It was ran thorugh the front entrance of a USA Bank. Now,  
leaving the scene of an accident is a major..."  
Carter cut him off, "Was a young woman driving the car."  
"I just told you, it was empty."  
"Oh, shit!"  
He slammed the phone down. "Tell Weaver I had to leave, family emergency." He ordered the   
woman behind the counter.  
As he walked out the door, he saw Abby climbing out of a yellow taxi cab, at the rear entrance  
of the emergency room.  
"Abby, oh God." He said running over to help her out.  
"He was there." She answered his unasked question.  
"We have to go to the police."  
"I know, oh God Carter." She said hugging him tightly, "The bastard, the goddamn bastard."  
  
Filing another police report was a lenghty procedure and Abby Lockhart had enough.  
"That's it I'm going home." She said, sending the clip-board sailing across the desk to the  
officer.  
"Mam, is there anything else you can tell us."  
"I jumped out of the damn car after he put a gun to me head, what more could I possibly tell  
you."  
"What type of gun was he carrying?"  
"I don't know-it was a gun." She said, almost hysterically, she was getting mad, for no good   
reason.   
"What did you do when you jumped out of the vehicle."  
"I rolled on the street, nearly got myself killed. I was fine other than the shock and  
realization of what I had just done. I limped into the resturaunt that was right across the   
street and they called me a cab."  
"Thank you, we're still trying to find him."  
"Thanks officer." Carter said, finally speaking, turning to Abby he said, "Come on, I'm   
taking you back to the house."  
"Your grandmother is going to kill me. I totalled her Jeep."  
"Abby, it's okay."  
"I need some clothes," she announced, glancing down at her wet jeans and white sweater, that  
had become mud-covered.  
"We can find some at the house. You are not going back to that apartment." 


	3. Night with the Carter Family

_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Sorry for the delay with Chapter 3. I just got a new computer, and I am  
trying to get everything lined out.  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Abby sat down gently on the brown leather sofa that adorned the living room. She was  
wearing a tee shirt, two sizes too big, that Carter had found for her. The jeans she was  
wearing were falling off.   
"Why can't my life be normal?" She asked, more a statement than a question.  
"Hello, dear, my my, why are you dressed like that?" Eleanor Carter asked appearing in   
the living room.  
At least I don't always dress like I am going to a funeral, Abby refrained from saying.   
"I heard about your car accident, you really could have avoided everything by staying  
out of someones business."  
"Mother, get out." John   
"I beg your pardon."  
"Stop acting like an asshole toward my friends."  
"John, I'm merely saying she shouldn't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."  
"Then get your fucking nose out my mine and Abby's business."  
"Your not sleeping with her are you?"  
"What are you gonna do if I am."  
"Oh, John you could do so much better."  
"Excuse me?" Abby jumped in, getting to her feet."  
"No offense dear."  
"How the hell does a person not take offense to that?" She beamed, giving Eleanor a   
cold look.  
"Darling, I merely mean't that..."  
John cut her off, "I don't give a damn what you mean't. Goodnight." He said, grabbing Abby's   
hand and heading into the foyer and leading the way up the stairwell.  
  
"She has royal way of pissing me off." Abby stated when they entered the bedroom.  
"I'm sorry." He said  
"It's not your fault."  
He looked into her eyes, as he brushed his hand over the bruises on her face.  
Neither one was sure who initiated it, but both melted into each other, as they kissed  
each other hard and ferociously as clothes became loosened and undone.  
Carter gently nudged her toward the bed. 


	4. Moving On

The sunlight was beaming into the once dark room. Dr. John Carter opened his eyes, to  
find his arms wrapped tightly around Nurse Abby Lockhart, who was staring intently at   
him.  
"Good morning." He greeted the woman to whom he had just hours ago, made love.  
"It's too damn early."  
"It's nine o'clock." He said, kissing her.  
"We should be at work."  
"I'm off, and I told them you needed a personal day."  
"When did you tell them this?"  
"Yesterday."  
"Oh." She said, rolling over to get out of bed.  
  
Abby and John sat down at the dining room as breakfast was served.   
"Where is my biggest fan?" Abby asked sarcastically.   
"Huh?"  
"Your mother."  
"Don't know, and I don't care."  
"Sorry. Well, I need to start looking for an apartment today."  
"I'll go with you."  
"Where?"  
"To the real-estate office. I know a great agent."  
"I think I'll try the paper first." Abby said, smiling. John had probably never done anything  
the way she had. He was brought up in a world where things were handed to him on a silver  
platter. Must be nice, she thought.  
"Come on, lets go talk to Kathy, she is great, I'm sure she can get you a great deal."  
"Okay." Abby agreed.   
  
Carter must not have told this woman my budget, Abby thought, as she glanced around the   
uptown Chicago apartment. The living room offered a view of the Chicago skyline from the eighth   
floor. A doorman was on guard twenty-four hours. And, it was a two bedroom apartment, with  
a living room, and a den. Twenty-five hundred a month, at least.  
"It's beautiful. Really, but I can't afford this." Abby admitted, as realtor Kathy Johnson showed   
them the newly designed kitchen.   
"We could share it." Carter told her.  
"Your moving out of Gamma's?" Abby questioned.  
"I need my independence. I couldn't even have you over without an interrogation from my mother.  
I am thirty-one, I need to get away."  
"Couldn't agree with you more. But would you really want to share it with someone."  
"I want to share it with you." 


	5. The Fantasy is Gone

2 WEEKS LATER   
_________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Abby sat on the black leather sofa, intently gazing out the window watching a rainstorm pound   
down on Chicago.  
"Good evening." John announced happily, as walked through the foyer into the living room.  
"Hey, what took you so long."  
"We had four major traumas and I couldn't leave."  
"Fun."   
"You look nice." He said, glancing down at her outfit. She had dressed in a black Ralph Lauren   
suit that she had treated herself to, when she was shopping at Saks yesterday. "Going somewhere,   
special?"  
"Actually, yes. Gamma called and wanted us to have dinner with her."  
"Oh, and you agreed to go?" He asked, a smile emerging at the corner of his mouth.  
"I'm not a cold and heartless bitch. Your grandmother is wonderful. It's your mother I despise."  
"What time do we need to head over."  
"Well, your late, so as soon as you get dressed."  
"Wanna join me for a quick shower."  
"I'm already dressed, NO! Now go." She said, laughing.  
She got up from the sofa and walked over to the bar, pouring herself a glass of Dewars while  
she waited on Carter.  
"Abby, when we get back from dinner, there's something I need to talk to you about."  
Her heart skipped a beat. What was going on.  
"Your gonna tell me that, then make me wait 'till after dinner."   
"Yep. Let's go." He said, walking to the closet and fetching their coats.  
  
Dinner was uneventful, thank God. Eleanor Carter had been at a charity event, so it had just  
been Abby, Carter, and Gamma.   
"What do you have to tell me, now?" Abby questioned as she seated herself in the passenger  
seat of John's Mercedes SUV.   
"Abby, I got a job offer." He told her, as he pulled out of the driveway.  
"Where?"  
"New York." 


	6. The Chase Begins

"New York." Abby said, with emotion, gazing out the car window at the rain, that was now turning   
to snow.  
"New York." Carter repeated, frankly having no idea, what to say as he turned the sport-utility  
onto the interstate. "It would be within the next 2 months, I finish up my residency in thirty-days.   
The position is great Co-Chairmain of Emergency Medicine at Manhattan General. My salary would  
be well over two-hundred thousand a year."  
"What about us?"  
"That's why I wanted to talk to you."  
"Talk about what. What choice do we have."  
"Abby, I couldn't stay if I wanted to, County hasn't offered me a position."  
"Why is life so damn complicated."  
"Abby, this doesn't have to be the end of our relationship. Why don't you come with me."  
Abby gave him a confused look, "To New York. Carter, I don't have a job offer there, I can't just  
flash a medical degree in their face and tell them, hell, offer me eighty a year or I'm out of here."  
"I'm sure there is positions available Abby." He said, glancing at the black SUV with high beams   
on, from his rear-view mirror.  
"Carter, I can't uproot my life without some guarantees."  
"Oh, Abby, you don't have a stable life, you never have, what the hell would it hurt for you to move  
to New York?" The sport-utility got closer.  
"Go to hell, Carter." She yelled, "Let me out of the fucking car."  
"In the middle of downtown Chicago, are you crazy."  
"No! Your the crazy one, now let me out of the damn car."  
"Abby, lets talk about this."  
"John," she said, determined not to cry. "Let me out of the goddamn car, or I'll jump. I've done it   
once and I'll do it again."  
"Where are you going to go?"  
"I don't know, maybe Luka's."   
"Don't do this to me, Abby." The car behind them slammed against them hard.   
Abby turned around, through the window of the car she could see clearly-it was Brian.   
"This is turning into one helluva night." Abby announced, as John sped up, the car staying close  
on their tail.  
Carter slowed down as the traffic-light turned red.   
Shit!   
"Carter, we have to get out of here." She said, as he came to a stop as cars went through the   
intersection.   
The car, a Chevy Suburban, suddenly pulled into the lane beside them, Brian gazing at Abby with a   
cold, steely stare.   
Carter gunned it as the Mercedes lurched and he rounded the turn through the intersection cutting  
off a man in a red Honda, causing him to go up on the sidewalk.   
"Oh, my God!" Abby cried.   
The Suburban slid into the curve as snow came down harder.  
Carter turned onto another street.   
"I'm not familiar with this area of Chicago."  
"Neither am I, just drive."   
Carter glanced at the navigational system on the center console.   
He pushed a map button for east Chicago. "See if you can find a nearby police station." He instructed  
Abby.  
The Suburban sped up, gaining on them once again.  
He turned the car onto Main, then turned onto another street, trying to head out of downtown,  
to more familiar roads, but he couldn't find the parkway exit.  
Speeding up again, he kept trying to lose the Suburban. He knew the Mercedes had more power, but   
snow was making visibility less and less as they drove on.  
"Carter, we have to get out of this."   
"We will." He ran a red light, rounding a curve sharply, throwing Abby into the door.  
"There is a police station on eleventh and main." Abby said, reading the map on the screen.  
"Any idea how to get there."   
"None. Hey there's a supermarket up ahead. There will be people there, he wouldn't try to kill us in public."  
"It's worth a shot." He knew they were in a bad area of town, but still, they needed safety. He sped into the   
parking lot of the store, he had never entered before, called Target. He parekd between a large truck and a   
mini-van hoping to be inconspicous, as Abby opened her door, running into the store with John on her heels. 


	7. The Chase Continues

"Where the hell was your cell phone, I thought you always had one in your car?" Abby asked,   
furious.  
"I left it at the house."  
"That's just great."  
She followed the sign the said restroom and saw a payphone hanging on the wall beside the  
water fountain.   
Carter picked up the receiver and dailed 911.   
"I need to speak to Sgt. O'Riley at the 12th precinct." He looked at Abby, "That was the officer  
wasn't it?" He questioned.  
She nodded, keeping an eye out for Brian.  
"Hurry." She told Carter.  
"Officer O'Riley, this is Dr. John Carter, we spoke the other day, Listen I'm in a Target department  
store on east 23rd, Brian has been chasing us."  
"Where are you at in the store."  
"At the back, near the restroom."  
"Stay put, I'm on my way."  
Abby spotted him before Carter, but there was nothing either could have done, Brian was walking  
down the aisle heading straight toward them, gun in hand, with a killer smile.   
"Holy Shit!" Carter yelled, as he and Abby both took off in the opposite direction. As they passed  
the toy section Abby started jerking things off shelves throwing them in Brian's direction, as he chased   
them.  
They ran out the door, with Brian on their tail, as they both got in the Mercedes. Shots rang out and   
the glass on the rear cargo hatch of the SUV shattered.   
"John, get us the hell outta here."  
He put the car into reverse, backing onto the street, as tires squeeled, and a car struck the rear of   
the sport-utility. More shots fired as Carter sped away from the building, and their attacker, who was  
now on foot.   
  
They drove around for an hour before valet parking the car at their apartment and calling O'Riley.   
He stopped by the house, took both of their statements, before leaving them with the assurance  
he would find the man.  
Your doing a fine job so far.  
Carter's pager went off, as Abby walked into the living room.  
"It's the ER, a major trauma," Carter informed her.  
She glanced downward.  
"Look, I'll call and tell Kerry, what happened, someone can cover."  
"Carter, I'll be fine, go on."  
"You sure."  
She nodded, "I'm tired and I just want to go to bed.  
He left her with a promise to call, if anything, the smallest problem, occured.  
"I promise to call. Go on." She said, as she curled up on the sofa, flipping on the radio letting   
Rod Stewart's soothing voice fill the apartment.   
  
Carter walked into the Emergency Room, where Dr. Weaver was standing at the nurses station   
filling out charts.   
"What's the problem?" He asked.  
"What problem, why are you here?"  
"I'm here because you paged me." He said, looking at her, confused.  
"I didn't page you."  
He handed her the pager with the hospital number, then 911 after it, the sign they used for emergency  
calls.   
"I didn't send this."  
"Oh shit! Abby."  
"What's wrong."  
"Brian's trying to kill her."   
"Oh, my God." 


	8. Another Attack

Abby watched the snow fall gently on the city of Chicago. Too bad, I have to get out in it,   
tomorrow. She got up from the couch, heading to the kitchen to get something to drink.  
The power flickered on and off before completely going black.  
Oh, shit! Just what I needed.   
She walked away from the kitchen looking out at the city, the lights were all on and working in the   
other buildings.  
That's odd, she thought, as a force knocked her to the ground.  
Oh my God.  
She fought hard against the man lying on her back, propelling herself against him roughly,   
knocking him into the sofa table, behind the couch.   
The power came back on, suddenly. It was the first time she saw her attackers face, even though  
she knew who it was--Brian.  
Photographs and a small plant fell to the floor on top of the as the table crashed over on top  
of them. She tried to push him away, as he drew a knife from his belt.   
She got up trying to run, when she felt the knife hit her leg.  
She fell hard hitting her head on the wall. He lunged at her with the knife. She propelled herself   
against him, grabbing his hand and twisting it, jabbing the knife he held in his hand into his stomach.   
It was the first time she noticed that Rod Stewart was know singing "The First Cut is the Deepest."  
Carter and a team of police officers burst through the door as Abby sank to the floor, her leg bleeding   
profusely. 


	9. Coming Home

Dr. Weaver met the gurney as it burst through the swinging doors of the emergency room. John was   
still holding onto the side of it, while Abby lay talking to him. Deb and Susan glanced in their direction  
as Carter leaned down and kissed her as they wheeled her into the Trauma Room, where Kerry ordered  
him to leave.  
Working on Abby's injured leg took no time, although Weaver did recomend cosmetic surgery for the  
major scarring.   
Abby was wheeled out of the trauma room and just as a precaution being kept overnight. The police   
barged through to question the victim as she was wheeled over to the nurses station.  
Dr. Romano, dressed typically in his navy scrubs, approached the nurses station where Deb, Susan,   
Carter, Abby, and Weaver were assembled.   
"We just received word that Dr. Mark Greene passed away."  
Everyone was speechless and Susan sunk to the ground crying.  
  
  
Abby returned to her and John's apartment the next day, someone, wearing as crime scene   
jacket was removing the living room carpet as John wheeled the wheelchair into the living room. She   
could see the blood on the piece of Burber carpet he held.   
Brians dead body had been hauled out last night. The apartment was still a crime scene, she and   
John were only allowed to enter to fetch their necessities, and the police had to go over anything they  
removed from the apartment.   
"I don't know why the police find interest in going through my underwear." Abby exclaimed.   
"Maybe they find your sexy lingerie as appealing as I do." John said, with an evil grin.  
"Funny."  
They finished packing two suitcases, and after letting the officers search them, with a luma-lite and  
their hands, they were permitted to leave the apartment.   
Gamma had generously told them they could stay in the guest rooms at her mansion. Abby hoped   
Eleanor wasn't there.   
John put the suitcases in the trunk of the black V-12 Mercedes S-600 he had borrowed from Gamma, while  
his SUV was being examined by crime scene technicians.  
"We need to go see Elizabeth sometime." Abby told Carter as they sped down the interstate."  
"I called and told her we would be over tomorrow. Kerry told her about your accident, so she understood."  
She nodded, as the drove up the brick driveway, covered in snow. 


	10. Decison Time

John walked into the house wheeling Abby, who was in a wheelchair, both of them hoping Eleanor   
wasn't home. The snow outside had become fierce, and the police officers who were assigned to stay  
with them, were grumbling as they parked in the Carter family driveway for the night.  
As they passed through the foyer into the living room, both Gamma and Eleanor, who had been   
arguing bitterly rose to greet them.  
"Hello, Abby-John." Gamma greeted them.  
Eleanor nodded and gave a forced smile.  
"I'm gonna take Abby to the guest room and let her get settled in."  
"Great, I'll talk to you to in a minute." Gamma smiled.  
"The downstairs guest room has thousands of dollars worth of art in it, surely you don't want her to   
stay there." Eleanor said into Gamma's ear.  
"Go to hell, Eleanor."  
Abby lifted her head up in shock, at Gamma's directness with the bitchy woman.  
"I beg your pardon."  
"Your a bitch."  
"I never in all my life. Don't you call me a bitch, I was merely saying that I wouldn't want some peon  
staying in my damn guest room."  
"Excuse me?" Abby butted in, but Gamma was on a role.  
"Don't call my guest a peon, and for your 411, the guest-room and this whole damn house belongs  
to me."  
"Not true, lady, it belongs to the Carter family business associates."  
"It most certainly does not, and as far as your standing with the board of directors, if you don't stop  
this little tirade, you won't be involved in the Carter family investments."  
"Don't you ever talk to me that..."   
"I'll talk to you any damn way I want, this is my house and I."  
Eleanor slapped Gamma across the face.  
John ran over to his grandmother, as Abby looked on in shock and anger.  
"Get the hell out of my house, NOW!" Gamma ordered Eleanor, "Don't you ever come back."  
  
John helped Abby to the living room sofa, where Gamma was having the family doctor look at her  
face.   
"I could have checked it, Gamma." Carter said.  
"Nonsense, your off work, time to relax."   
The older doctor put a bandage on Gamma's face and exited after she thanked him for coming.  
"This family has lost all sense of reality." Gamma told them. "Your mother is fired."  
"What was she anyway."  
"A board member. Tomorrow we are all meeting to negotiate her settlement."  
"Your kicking her out of the family."  
"No one messes with me, John." Gamma said, as she sipped on her Dewars.  
Abby couldn't help but smile.  
  
That Friday, Abby and John attended the small funeral for Dr. Greene. Elizabeth and his two   
daughters were there. Susan Lewis, Kerry Weaver, Ray Romano, and Dr. Kovac also attended  
as well as a few others, Abby and John didn't know.  
The service was solemn and quick.  
John and Abby paid their respects and spoke briefly with Elizabeth before retreating to the car.  
It was dark when they arrived back at the mansion and snow was falling hard and fast.  
"We may end up snowed in." Abby mused.  
"Things could be worse."  
Abby got serious, thinking of how to bring it up, as John parked the Mercedes. "John we need to   
talk. Are you taking the job in New York, or not?" 


	11. It's Over

"I don't have a choice." He told her. "Abby, I don't want to lose you over some goddamn job  
offer."  
"Then don't." She was determined not to cry. "John, life was just starting to get good for  
me."  
"Abby, it still can be. Why not come with me?" He asked. "Would moving to New York with  
me be the worst thing in the world. I know you would hate to leave Weaver, and Mark is dead.  
Who does that leave to stay for, Susan...Elizabeth...Luka?"  
"John, I don't know." She said, as tears began to flow.   
"Abby, think about it, it would be good for you to start over. Especially now, after Brian  
was killed in our apartment." He cautiosly refrained from saying where you killed Brian. "New  
York would be new...exciting."  
"I have to give it some thought."  
"Of course."  
  
Abby was sitting at the kitchen table when John entered. She was finally able to limp around  
on her leg. Damn, she wished Brian was alive, she would sue the hell out of him.  
"Sleep okay?" John asked, for he hadn't heard her get out of bed.  
"Yeah, I got up about an hour ago."  
"Since when do you get up before nine."  
"I was wide awake. Strange for me."  
"Everything okay?" John looked at her skeptically.  
"John, I'm not going to New York."  
"I was afraid you would say that."  
"Go on without me."  
"Abby..."  
"John, give me a few days and I'll have my things moved out of our apartment."  
"Abby," he said resignedly. "The rents paid for this month, keep the damn apartment, it's safer."  
"Thanks."  
"No problem." He got up as she walked toward the door.   
She turned around, walked over to him, grabbing his face, she kissed him hard, before turning  
to walk away, not looking back, she headed out the door. 


	12. New York, New York

TWO WEEKS LATER  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
  
John surveyed the interior of his new apartment. It wasn't as big as the other one, but certainly  
nice. He walked into the living room, furnished with a black leather couch and love seat, as well  
as a matching chair, and a large screen television, that he had purchased yesterday.  
He had everything most people dreamed of, but he didn't have what he wanted--Abby Lockhart.  
He took the elevator down to the ground floor and got in the Mercedes S-600 that Gamma had  
given him. He tipped the valet man, as he sat behind the wheel, and put the sedan into gear,   
heading for Manhattan General.   
New York had proved no different than Chicago, maybe worse, except now he was boss. He was  
the Weaver everyone had to listen to.  
They had twelve major trauma's this morning, and nearly triple that in minors, withing the past  
two hours. It was only two o'clock in the day.  
"Dr. Carter to the Front Lobby."  
He handed a young intern a clipboard as headed to the elevator.  
  
As he emerged from the elevator on the ground floor of the hospital, he was speechless to see   
Abby standing at the front desk.   
"Abby." He said, running to her and gathering her in his arms, the looking into her eyes he kissed  
her for what seemed like hours, as people stared, a few applauding.  
"I missed you too much." She told him, "I had to come."  
"I'm glad you did."  
He kissed her again.  
"Tell, Dr. Anderson, I need to leave, personal emergency. Tell him to cover." He told the nurse.   
"Where are you going?" Abby asked with a seductive smile.   
"We...are going back to the apartment-to talk, among other things." 


End file.
